


Muted

by kiyala



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Holding Hands, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-26
Updated: 2016-02-26
Packaged: 2018-05-23 08:11:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6110461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiyala/pseuds/kiyala
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Akaashi has a headache. Kenma's magic helps.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Muted

Keiji has the kind of headache that makes everything feel far too loud for him. The sound of squeaking shoes and volleyballs hitting the floor in the gymnasium is too much for him, let alone the volume of Bokuto's voice as he gets excited, or Kuroo's laughing. He needs to shut himself away somewhere quiet and now that Bokuto has Kuroo to do extra practice with, he makes his excuses and slips away.

He doesn't really know where he's going, except for the fact that he's walking away from the noise. The rest of their teams are probably in the cabins that they're using while on training camp, playing games with each other. He isn't in the mood for that and he knows that he's not going to be able to sleep off his headache until it's time for lights off. That's not for another few hours.

He ends up walking outside, where the night air is cool enough to provide a pleasant contrast from the warm day. He takes his shoes off, carrying them in one hand as he walks barefoot along the floorboards, breathing deeply and wishing his headache away.

Kenma is sitting on the patio, playing a game, and looks up as he sees Keiji approach. He pauses his game, putting his PSP down, and Keiji smiles apologetically at him before he sits down too.

"You don't look very well," Kenma comments, picking the PSP up from where it's sitting on the floorboards and places it in his lap instead. He doesn't meet Keiji's eyes, but he looks relaxed. Keiji has already come up with at least five excuses he can make to leave, in case Kenma prefers to be left alone, but he pushes them aside for now, letting himself relax a little, the way he can in Kenma's presence, without Bokuto or Kuroo hanging around.

"I have a headache," he replies. "It just won't go away. I just wanted to sit somewhere quiet for a while. You can keep playing your game."

Kenma doesn't, though, turning a little in Keiji's direction. "I can help. If you want."

Keiji tilts his head, waiting for Kenma to continue. He doesn't expect Kenma to reach a hand out towards him.

"It's my ability," Kenma says quietly, looking directly at Keiji this time. "To make things quiet."

"Oh," Keiji blinks. That makes sense, he thinks to himself. It's the kind of ability that suits Kenma. "Mine's just my reflexes. It helps me make decisions quicker."

"I've seen that on the court," Kenma nods, taking Keiji's hand into his. "This isn't as special."

Keiji wants to argue but instead, he finds that he's focusing on the feel of Kenma's hand against his. It's warm, a little sweaty, and his grip is gentle to begin with, until it settles into something firmer. It's reassuring, Keiji thinks, gripping back just as firmly.

He sees Kenma taking a deep breath as much as he hears it, the rise of his shoulders, the way his chest expands with it. Then, a little at a time, everything starts to go quiet.

It's fascinating, and Keiji is certain that this is much more impressive than his own ability, but he doesn't want to break the silence that's descending over them like a comforting blanket, doesn't even know what would happen if he tried to speak into Kenma's silence, and as curious as he is about it, he doesn't want to try it out just now.

Instead, Keiji just closes his eyes and focuses on breathing, inhaling deeply, then exhaling. The noises are gone entirely now, Keiji can't even hear the sound of his own breath and it's a strange feeling, to have their surroundings completely stripped of sound. He feels a little like he's suspended in time, but the trees around them are moving in the gentle breeze and Keiji can feel it against his skin too. The world keeps moving around them, but everything is muted.

Then, Kenma slowly loosens his grip on Keiji's hand. The silence recedes, just as slowly as it came. Keiji hears the whisper of the wind first, so soft that it sounds like it's coming from somewhere distant. It grows louder, along with the rest of the noises around them too, and Keiji doesn't think he's ever been so aware of just how much he can hear around him.

"How does your head feel?" Kenma asks, pulling his hand away, back into his lap.

"Better," Keiji says, blinking. He's whispering, he realises, trying to hold onto the silence for a little longer. Kenma must notice, from the way the corner of his mouth twitches into a small smile, but he doesn't say anything about it.

"I can only do it to other people while holding hands with them," Kenma tells him. "I can't do it for very long, but if your headache comes back, you can find me. I'll help you again."

"Thank you," Keiji says quietly, looking down at his hand. He can still feel the lingering warmth of Kenma's palm, where it was pressed against his. He can still feel Kenma's fingers curled around his own.

"If you want," Kenma says slowly, "I can do it again now. You said your head felt better, but your headache probably isn't gone yet. As long as I take breaks in between, it's fine."

"I thought that you would rather be playing your game," Keiji replies, but he leaves his hand resting on the floor between them, his palm facing upwards. "I wasn't meaning to impose."

"You're not imposing," Kenma shakes his head, placing his PSP down to his side, away from Keiji. "I don't mind sitting here and holding hands with you."

"Okay," Keiji breathes, feeling his heart beat a little faster as Kenma fits their hands together once again. He closes his eyes as the silence descends around them again, so that his sole point of focus is the way Kenma's hand feels in his.

He can't tell if his headache has faded away, or if it just doesn't matter any more, but he doesn't mind either way. He's happy to just sit here in silence, holding hands with Kenma.


End file.
